


Hot to the Touch

by fadedlullabyes



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Darcy knows when to retreat, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pepper/Steve Brotp, Protective Bruce, Steve Angst, adorable babies, five plus things, steve doesn't like to be touched, steve secretly bakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 19:48:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1022700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedlullabyes/pseuds/fadedlullabyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five people who didn't notice Steve didn't like to be touched and the one person who always knew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hot to the Touch

**Author's Note:**

> This was an idea I came up while talking to silverlit one night. I wanted to do a longer fic but I think it worked well like this. It's a little headcanon I thought of because Steve did spend 70 years in the ice.

~Fury~

It was a bad mission, everything had gone south the moment Steve had stepped foot on the ground. His orders hadn’t gotten through to the other team members and they barely managed to contain the battle. Steve had been pissed for lack of better word when he realized his uniform was virtually destroyed.

When Tony had seen how tattered it was, he had cracked a few jokes about stripping that Steve had ignored. His mood was sour and having Tony rib him wasn’t something he wanted to deal with. The man was his best friend, but even Steve had limits to how much of Tony he could handle.

Being on the Helicarrier now was at least an improvement from being on the streets. Steve was secluded from the others and he was free to shower before the debriefing. He hated the sweltering heat of the summer in New York and a shower would be welcomed right now to wash off the grime and blood.

Steve hated bleeding the most because of how hot his blood was. When it touched his skin he had to repress his reaction because he was in the middle of a fight and he couldn’t afford to mess up. He had people dependant on him to do his job and he took it seriously.

As he headed to the showers, Steve ran into Fury. He still didn’t like the man but held some sort of respect for him. Steve was wary of Fury and wanted to get to the showers but his way was blocked now and he would have to speak to the director.

“Captain, a word?” Fury said as he put a hand on Steve’s shoulder.

The sensation of Fury’s warm hand was like a burn to Steve and he finched away from the touch but didn’t break contact. He passed it off as Fury touching a wound when he passed a look to Steve.

“Just a sore spot, sir. It’ll be gone in a minute.” Steve said as he tried to not grit his teeth. He listened to what the director had to say about an upgrade to the communicators; provided that Tony cooperate. Steve listened with half an ear until Fury finally took his hand off Steve’s shoulder. He took it as an opportunity and apologized to the director before taking off towards the showers.

 

~Pepper~

 

The morning air was crisp with a bit of a cold bite to it. Steve didn’t mind it but it seemed Pepper had come unprepared that morning and hadn’t brought a heavier jacket with her. Steve had politely offered her his own jacket since he didn’t really feel the cold like other people. Pepper had tried to refuse him but Steve had been adamant because he didn’t want Tony to kill him if his girl had gotten sick. He didn’t want to think of the repercussions of that.

The market wasn’t crowded yet and Steve was thankful for that. He had a baseball cap with the Dodgers emblem on it. He wasn’t out to the public but he still felt like hiding sometimes despite the fact he could take it easy. He liked to blend in and pretend he had grown up like the people around and that he didn’t live through the Depression.

He had a basket on one arm while Pepper was walking beside him. They had a fast friendship and enjoyed these little outings when they could. Pepper being CEO of Stark Industries was a hindrance in their plans sometimes; especially when there was an emergency.

“So, how are you adjusting with the others in the Tower?” Pepper asked as they stopped at a fruit stand.

“Okay. Clint keeps crawling through the vents and perches in the corners of the ceilings sometimes just to freak me out.” Steve answered with a fond smile as he thought of Clint and his fun.

“You’ll get used to it, I’m sure. I got used to Tony’s sleeping habits.” Pepper said as she grabbed an apple and inspected it. She placed into the basket under the careful gaze of the owner and then continued to inspect a few more before adding them as well.

“It doesn’t help that he mixes up his routine though. Clint is a crafty person.” Steve mused as he reached for oranges and decided he could use them for something.

Steve and Bruce did most of the cooking in the tower because they just didn't trust the others. The last time Clint had used the microwave it had exploded and Tony had to remodel.

Thor had been grounded as well when he tried to make ramen noodles and failed spectacularly. He wanted to learn but no one had the time recently except Darcy and there was no way Steve would allow her anywhere near the kitchen appliances.

"I'm sure Tony has a trick or two up his sleeve." Pepper said with a smile as she paid for their purchases.

They took off and made their way through the thickening crowd. Steve felt naked without his jacket and wished he could ask for it back. But he wasn't that kind of guy and allowed Pepper to keep it.

She must have noticed something was off with Steve because she sent him a questioning glance.

"Its nothing. This just reminds me of when Bucky and I used to do this. But he was snarkier and would steal food." Steve responded with fondness and a roll of his eyes. Truth was he missed Bucky so much it hurt. They had been brothers in every sense of the word and it pained Steve he couldn't share this century with him.

"He sounds like he was a trouble maker." Pepper said as she looped her arm with Steves.

Steve stiffened for a fraction of a second as his flesh burned at Peppers warm touch. He couldn't flich because it would upset her and he didn't that for her.

"Let's just hope he doesn't come back from the dead. He and Clint would be an unstoppable force." Steves smile was strained but Pepper would believe it was because he was speaking about Bucky. And Steves secret would be safe.

~Bucky~

The weeks of waiting were worth it Steve thought as he stalked through the halls of S.H.I.E.L.D. with purpose. It had been months since his encounter with the Winter Soldier and he knew it about damn time that he got to see Bucky.

It had been hard to keep away at first; Bucky was his family and Steve would give forgiveness. And he knew Bucky was aware of it. But the Tesseract didn't have all healing powers and Bucky had to be deprogrammed.

Steve was there everyday even though he wouldn't be able to see his friend. But the doctors had assured him that Bucky knew and was grateful for his presence.

That was all Steve needed to know plus it helped that Bucky passed notes on through Natasha. He was glad for them and that they seemed to be able to pick up what they had in the Red Room.

Steve wasn't jealous; not by a long shot because Natasha knew what Bucky had been through and his friend needed that right now.

The agents made sure to give Steve a wide berth. The expression on his face and his tense body spoke volumes that he wasn't a person to be reckoned with right now.

When he was outside Bucky's room, Steve took a deep breath and then knocked. This would be the first time in seventy years that they saw each other and Steve didn't have anything prepared to say.

The door opened and it was like he was thrown back into the 40s. Bucky's hair was styled how it was back the; all slicked and styled towards the back. He may have more muscular but he was the Bucky he knew and yet not.

"Steve, come on in." A smile stretched Bucky's lips as he gestured towards the inside of the room with his right hand.  Steve's eyes went to the metal one that was holding the door and noticed it was something Tony had designed. It was sleeker than the previous arm Bucky had and seemed more natural.

"Hey, Buck. Long time no see." Steve blurted, not knowing what else he could say. It was like he had gone stupid.

"We don't see each other for seventy years and that's the best you have?" Bucky said with that familiar shit eating grin of his.  

"Well, yeah." Steve returned with a smile of his own as he clapped Bucky on the back. He was afraid they would be on edge with each other but it seemed like almost nothing had changed since they had seen each other last.

"You always were a punk. I see you're still picking fights with people bigger than you." They had made their way into a small living space and Steve had to admit the place looked almost like their apartment.

"And I see you still have horrible taste in furniture." Steve quipped back without missing a beat as he shed his jacket to reveal a sleeveless shirt. "All you need is me."

"Heh. I might take you up on that offer." Bucky went to hit him on his bare shoulder with his metal hand and Steve was relieved until Bucky changed to his flesh one.

Steve couldn't help but flinch at the contact as Bucky's warm hand connected with the meat of his shoulder. Bucky's face fell as he pulled his hand back as though he'd been burned.

"So about those Dodgers, did you know they moved to L.A.?" Steve asked and broke the tension in the air.

Bucky relaxed as they began to talk about the one thing they had never been able to shut up about when they lived together. No matter what Bucky did, Steve would forgive him.

 

~Darcy~

"Captain Rogers, Master Thor has arrived with his guests and has requested your presence." J.A.R.V.I.S. said when Steve finished his last pull up. He dropped to the ground and found his towel to wipe the sweat from his neck and shoulders.

"Thanks J.A.R.V.I.S. Would you let let Thor know it will take me a moment? I want to shower and be presentable." Steve let the towel rest on his shoulders as he grabbed his bottle of water and chugged it all in almost one go. That was when he heard the wolf whistle and he turned his head sharply.

"Well, aren't you a fine piece of man." The woman had to be Darcy from Thor's descriptions of her. He always spoke kindly of Jane and her best friend but Steve wasn't prepared for this at all.

"Miss Lewis I presume?" Steve asked as he kept his distance from her.

“Emphasis on the Miss.” Darcy said with a wink and a smile. Steve wanted to bolt but Thor was standing there with Jane by his side. He had a silly smile on his face as his large arm wound around her waist. Steve couldn’t ruin this for Thor because they were finally comfortable enough with each to start to integrate their lives.

The Avengers were finally starting to become a family and Steve felt he had to keep them together. He couldn’t let someone like Darcy intimidate him and scare off Thor. Because Steve wanted at least some sort of semblance to normalcy.

“I’d shake your hand, but I’m sweaty at the moment.” Steve said with a smile when Bruce walked in. He turned his head and blushed when he saw the other man. He was half naked with no shirt and his shorts were probably showing his goods.

“We can sweaty together. I don’t mind.” Darcy quipped as she turned her eyes to Steve’s bicep. “Wow! You’re as muscley as Thor!”

Steve didn’t have time to react as Darcy poked his bicep briefly. There was enough contact that it burned slightly and he winced just a little. He was becoming better at covering his reactions to being touched. Steve didn’t want to cause problems with the team so he’d learned how to hide every little action so it wasn’t that noticeable.

“Uh, thanks?” Steve said, missing Bruce’s look of jealousy when Darcy poked him again. “I have to shower...yeah. I have to shower.”

Darcy watched as Steve retreated and then turned to Bruce Banner. Everyone knew Banner that worked in the field of science. His name was well known as well as his counterpart’s. She knew the expression that was on his face, she was familiar with it.

“I didn’t know he was taken or else I wouldn’t have poked him.” Darcy said with a flip of her hair. “Now, what are we doing while we wait on Spangles?”

 

~Rhodey~

The charity function had just been going on for hours now and Steve wanted to go home. They had raised money for the veteran’s and had gone past the goal. Being the guest speaker hadn’t been so bad to Steve and he’d enjoyed it. The speech he had delivered had been written himself and not by some person S.H.I.E.L.D. had hired.

This was a part of Steve’s life they couldn’t take from him and he would fight tooth and nail for it. He knew that many people thought him a hero and he wouldn’t deny them his presence. Steve was a man who thought of his people and country first; before anything else.

It was what separated him from S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury was protecting the world but Steve felt the need to protect his homeland. It wasn’t anything against the rest of the world, but this was what he wanted to do since he was a kid and his mother had told him stories of his father.

The drive to serve America was still in Steve’s heart and while he wished it had been as a regular soldier; he couldn’t ignore all the good he had done as Captain America. It had been uplifting to hear the thanks coming from the other soldiers. They told him he was still needed and Steve felt that mattered the most to him.

When he ran into Colonel James Rhodes, Steve couldn’t help the smile he returned to the man. Rhodes seemed to be nervous and Steve couldn’t figure out why until Tony showed up with a cocky smile on his face.

“He wants in your pants,” Tony said as he slapped a hand on Rhodey’s shoulder, making the poor man sputter. Steve had a feeling that Tony was the only one who could do that to the colonel.

“That’s not it and you know, Tony!” Rhodes shoved Tony away and told him to go bother Pepper.

“I think we deserve a reintroduction.” Steve chuckled as he watched Tony walk off and say hello to the other attendees. Tony may not have been a veteran but Rhodey was his best friend and he would always support him no matter what.

“Hello, Captain Rogers, I’m Colonel James Rhodes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Rhodes stuck his hand and Steve knew he would disappoint the man if he didn’t shake it. He couldn’t handle that again after Phil.

“Hello, Colonel Rhodes, it’s a pleasure for me as well.” Steve said as he took the other’s hand and shook. If he flinched now then Rhodes would associate it as Steve being racist.

Steve didn’t let on that anything was wrong because he was that kind of man. He felt so damn weak because he couldn’t stand anyone touching him. He wished he’d never been found in the ice but more often than not, he took that wish back because the Avengers needed him.

S.H.I.E.L.D. medical had told him there was nothing they could do about the way he perceived heat and cold. Steve had been devastated at the news and had taken out at least fifty punching bags that night alone. He felt lost in the gym by himself and had wondered if his life would ever be normal again. Everything so far about his life had been so extraordinary and he didn’t how to feel about that. Suddenly, the room was almost too much and Steve could feel nervousness settling in.

“Rhodey! I think you’ve accosted Cap enough for the night! There are some people who want to meet War-I mean Iron Patriot. Have I told you how much I hate that name? I mean really, it doesn’t make anyone shake in their panties.” Tony rambled as he came back around and grabbed Rhodey.

“We’ll be in contact, Colonel.” Steve said with a wave of his hand. He turned to find Bruce at his side and Steve’s smile grew wider.

“How’s your night going?” Bruce asked as he put his hand on the small of Steve’s back and led him towards the tables that were laden with food. He knew about the other’s metabolism and made sure that Steve at least ate when he was around; because otherwise, the man would go on as if he wasn’t hungry.

~Bruce~

Steve was fumbling around the kitchen cabinets. He wanted to make something to keep the boredom at bay. The Avengers, as far as he knew were out so he could keep his dirty secret safe. They were involved with their individual lives and half the time they weren’t at the tower.

It didn’t really bother Steve, only reminded him that he really needed more friends because he couldn’t keep hanging out with Bucky and Natasha. He didn’t like being a third wheel when the two went out and it felt awkward. Steve hated feeling awkward.

He found the large mixing bowl and pulled it down to the counter. Without much thought Steve began to bake. It was something he had done back in the 30s when he lived with Bucky to make some extra money. It wasn’t glamorous and it started some fights with bigger men but it had helped them when they needed it.

He had asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to play music from his playlist titled ‘The Good Old Days.’ The list was a compilation of music from the twenties, thirties and forties. The songs never failed to take Steve to a safe place because they felt like home even though home was gone. For awhile he could pretend he was back in that shitty apartment in Brooklyn with Bucky teasing him about how good he looked in an apron and how he’d make someone a lovely housewife.

Steve had a serene smile on his face as he continued to whip up the ingredients. He didn’t mind this century much but it still didn’t feel like home at all. He supposed one day he would adjust to the 21st century and that he’d be able to refer it as home.

“Well, I can’t say this was what I was expecting.” Bruce’s soft voice startled Steve and he dropped the batter he’d been working on to the floor.

“Bruce? I thought everyone was out.” Steve said as he knelt to the floor and picked the bowl up. It seemed like Bruce was right there with paper towels and cleaning up the mess the batter had made on the floor.

“I decided to stay in and look over some things in the lab. I thought I was alone.” Bruce made sure to keep his hands away from Steve’s, like he was aware of what touch did to him.

The actions warmed Steve’s heart because Bruce was a man who knew everything that went on. He didn’t miss a thing and made sure to subtly support his team mates. They didn’t need just the Hulk on the team, that much was evident with the way Bruce took care of them.

“Heh, seems like we were taking advantage of the normalcy around here.” Steve said with a smile as they stood and dumped the dirty paper towels into the trash can. He could tell how careful Bruce was being about not touching him.

“How long have you known?” He asked curiously as he leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest.

“Since I first saw you, actually. I knew you didn’t like to be touched and it wasn’t a discrimination thing. With some help from Tony, I hacked your S.H.I.E.L.D. files and found out. I’m sorry, Steve.” Bruce was apologetic as he took a spot at the table and leaning a hip against the edge of it.

“And you didn’t say anything?” Steve asked, his eyes going wide for a moment in disbelief.

“No. It was your secret like the baking. I couldn’t out you like that because it’s something you should tell the others yourself.” Bruce’s lips quirked up into a smile. It was obvious he wanted to touch Steve but he had control over his actions.

Steve didn’t really have to think about what he was doing before he pushed his large frame off the counter to stand in front of Bruce. His eyes flickered to Bruce’s lips and back up to his eyes before lowering his head to press a soft kiss to the other’s mouth.

It was searing, the skin of his lips sensitive, but Steve found he liked the sensation with Bruce. He could touch Bruce and the pain wouldn’t bother him. He didn’t even think on why that was only that he wanted another kiss and Bruce’s hands on him.

“Wow.” Bruce asked with a blush and like he was afraid Steve would disappear.

“That good?” Steve chuckled before Bruce pushed him against the counter and kissed the ever daylights of Steve; staking his claim on the man.

“Yeah.” Bruce answered breathlessly when he was done.

“There’s a bakery on Tenth, take me on a date?” Steve asked as he wound his arms around Bruce’s middle.

“Right now?” Bruce teased.

“Right now.” Steve answered as he brushed his lips against Bruce’s again just to feel that spark of pleasure.


End file.
